HOW TO USE YOGA OR MEDITATION TQ RELIEVE TENSION, RELIEVE PAIN, AND FEEL BETTER

For some people, the ancient practice of yoga is the ideal way to induce relaxation response. In fact, many doctors recommend the practice of yoga for pain control and stress reduction. As practiced in the West ,yoga consists mainly of a combination of breathing, stretching and relaxation exercises which may be of great benefit in relieving tension and stress.

While there is no hard scientific evidence that yoga can be of benefit to overall health, there are indications that it may help in the cure and prevention of a wide range of disorders as well as in improving posture, strengthening certain muscles and enhancing flexibility.

The best way to perform yoga correctly is to attend classes led by an experienced instructor. Even though yoga exercises are performed slowly, and are safer than many other types of exercise, improperly performed they can cause injury.

To perform yoga exercises, you should wear loose clothing and no shoes. You should also find a room with few distractions and utilize a mat or a blanket ( When exercising, hold a position only as long as it is Comfortable and breathe normally through your nose. Stretch slowly and focus on relaxing a tight muscle You should not attempt an extreme yoga position without proper instruction.

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THE NATURAL HEALING POWER OF VITAMIN A AND BETA-CAROTENE

While vitamin A may be far from being a world-wide panacea, it is high on the list of vital nutrients. In recent years numerous medical research studies have revealed that certain fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene can help prevent cancer; cataracts; fight heart disease; strengthen the immune system; protect your skin from wrinkles; maintain good vision and prevent certain eye disorders such as night blindness; speed up the effective healing of wounds; eliminate acne and boils; and much more. While the research continues, there is no doubt that the natural wonders of Vitamin A, especially in the form of beta-carotene, is essential to the maintenance of good health.

There are two forms of Vitamin A—preformed Vitamin A or retinol is found only in foods of animal origin and provitamin A or carotene is found in foods of both plant and animal origin. It’s important to know the difference because preformed vitamin A can be toxic in large enough amounts over a long period of time. It builds up in the liver and cannot be excreted from the body in any significant amount. Toxicity can result from prolonged daily doses that exceed 50,000 IU in adults and children. The symptoms of a vitamin A overdose include nausea, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, loss of hair, dry itching skin, and drowsiness. The toxicity will clear up in a few days if the excessive intake is halted. Overdoses of Vitamin A (retinol) can be caused by eating an excessive amount of animal liver over an extended period of time, but is more commonly due to high doses of vitamin supplements.

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CEREAL— THE BEST AND THE WORST

Not all cereals are equal in nutritional value. Some are high in sugar, while others have none. Some are fortified with up to 15 nutrients, and others aren’t fortified at all. Depending on which type you choose, cereal may not be your most healthful choice for breakfast. Here are some insider tips on choosing the best cereals from the worst:

1) The 6 to 8 grams of fiber in a one ounce serving of bran flakes with fresh fruit could make a good daily start on the National Cancer Institute’s recommendation that American adults consume from 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber a day.

2) Cereals that contain iron are also a good choice, especially for women. If you ^on’t eat red meat or other iron-rich foods, the American Dietetic Association suggests that you choose a cereal that contains at least 45 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for iron. Also be sure to have orange juice or another vitamin C-rich drink with your cereal, otherwise the iron won’t be well-absorbed.

3) Nutritionists agree that breakfast should make up about one quarter of your daily nutrient requirements. A fortified cereal, with 25 percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances can be helpful as long as you also eat a variety of healthful food throughout the day.

4) Select a cereal with no more than five grams of sugar. In general, the more sugar a cereal contains, the fewer complex carbohydrates and less dietary fiber it contains.

5) If you are primarily interested in insoluble fat—the kind that prevents constipation and may protect against colon cancer—select a cereal made with whole wheat. The best advice is to eat a multigrain cereal that will provide you with both soluble and insoluble fiber, or you can rotate among different types of cereals. Whatever you choose, it should have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving.

6) Try to avoid many of the hot cereals that are now available in single- serving packets. Hot cereal bought in large, economical boxes is not only as easy to cook on the stove or in the microwave, it’s also much less expensive. While the instant varieties may seem convenient, they quite often contain a lot of unnecessary salt and sugar.

7) Many cold cereals are highly processed, while hot cereals are less tampered with. However, some hot cereals, such as farina and Cream of Wheat are processed so highly they become very smooth and creamy and loose a great deal of their fiber. You can fortify your own cereal with fiber, by adding fresh or dried fruit, and with calcium by using skim or low-fat milk.

Whatever brand of cereal you buy, be sure to read the label so you’ll be certain it contains the nutrients you need.

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HEART PROBLEMS

Read This If You Have A Heart Murmur

A report by Dr. T. Welch states that people who have heart murmurs are in danger of infections of the heart valve. Therefore, they should take antibiotics before, during, and after dental or surgical procedures.

3 Vitamins That Help the Heart

Several recent studies reveal that certain vitamins can help to reduce the blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. This could cause a significant reduction in your risk of heart attack. These vitamins include beta carotene (15 to 20 milligrams per day), vitamin C, and Vitamin E. The best source of beta carotene is yellow vegetables, especially carrots.

Second Hand Smoke: New Data You Need To Know

A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association states that breathing second hand smoke results in increased heart attack risk. The study shows that non-smokers who are married to smokers have more heart attacks than nonsmokers who are also married to nonsmokers. This could result in as much as 35,000 heart attack deaths each year.

Baldness and Heart Problems

A study by Dr. Carlos Henera of the University of Texas Medical School shows the following. Men who lose their hair quickly also are twice as likely to have coronary heart problems. This is probably due to some genetic factors. It means that these men should pay particular attention to the other high heart attack risk factors. Lowering these other factors could help to normalize or lower bald men’s heart risks.

“Wonder Drug ” May Help Prevent A Stroke

People at high risk of stroke because of irregular heartbeat may benefit from taking low doses of warfarin, a blood-thinning drug.

According to the results of a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, warfarin can reduce the risk of stroke by almost 80 percent in people at high risk. The drug is already widely used to treat people who suffer from a heart irregularity also known as atrial fibrillation.

Following almost two years of tracking over 500 men with atrial fibrillation, researchers discovered that 23 men had suffered strokes— 19 were in a placebo group and 4 were using warfarin.

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